Ask most folks to describe their first day on a snowboard, and what they’re sure to mention is falling down, more frequently–and more emphatically–than they ever imagined possible. Well, though it’s often said that nothing in life comes easy, snow-boarding can, at least once you get past the initial frustration. Without further ado, here are some hard-won tips to help minimize day-one bruises. Forget what you’ve heard about the sport being a breeze for anyone who already skis, surfs, skateboards, or seamlessly slaloms through a plague of Gap-crazed mall rats.